Congressman Jim Leach (R, Iowa) has informed Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D, California) that he will co-sponsor her Resolution of Inquiry into Bush Administration communications with the U.K. about Iraq at the time of the Downing Street Memos. Leach is the first Republican member of Congress to publicly support a demand for an inquiry into the Bush Administration's pre-war claims. The 131 congress members who have signed Congressman John Conyers' letter to the President about the Downing Street Memo are all Democrats. The 11 Senators who have asked the Senate Intelligence Committee to do the investigation it committed to in February 2004 but never did are all Democrats.

The Resolution, H. Res. 375, is a privileged resolution which must be brought to a vote in the House International Relations Committee by September 16th, or Lee is permitted to demand a vote of the full House. Fifty-two Democrats, including Lee, have co-sponsored the Resolution. Leach is the first Republican to join them, and he is a member of the International Relations Committee..

The International Relations Committee has 27 Republican members and 23 Democratic members. Thus far 10 of the Democrats have co-sponsored the Resolution. If the other 13 vote for it as well, then along with Leach, one more Republican vote will be needed for a tie, or two more for passage.

Leach has questioned Bush's war policies for years and was one of five Republicans in May to vote for Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey's amendment requiring an exit strategy. Another of those five, Congressman Ron Paul of Texas, also serves on the International Relations Committee.

"Congressman Leach has broken the silence of the Republican Party on the Downing Street Minutes," said John Bonifaz, Co-Founder of the After Downing Street Coalition. "His willingness to co-sponsor Congresswoman Barbara Lee's Resolution of Inquiry is bound to make the White House nervous. It is not possible for the President to paint this demand for documents as coming solely from his opponents. This is a demand for the truth. Did the president deliberately deceive and mislead the United States Congress and the American people about the basis for going to war against Iraq? We as a people -- from Crawford to Des Moines to Washington, DC, regardless of our political persuasion, deserve to know the answer to that basic question."

"Congress returns to Washington from its summer break on September 6," said David Swanson, Co-Founder of the After Downing Street Coalition. "The first 10 days will test the Democrats' ability to stand together and challenge the Bush Administration, as well as Republicans' willingness to break ranks on an issue where public opinion has diverged widely from White House policy."

Comment viewing options

Thanks Mr. Leach for trying to get the facts! If Leach is your rep, please call (202) 225-6576 and thank him for standing up for this resolution. Wish I could get my Republican rep to find some ethics and support it too.

Yesterday after seeing the first Republican congressperson, James Leach (R-IA-2), to sign on to Barbara Lee's, H.Res 375, I was dumbfounded. I attempted to email Mr. Leach, but not being of his district I was not able to send an email to thank him. I do so now and here.

Mr. Leach I would like to thank you for your action. This one act quite possibly may yet help restore my hope in our form (and current state) of government.

Now I can only hope that other Republicans follow your leadership and support Barbara Lee's Resolution Of Inquiry.

It is imperative that these issues be resolved to remove any stain or doubt upon our government. This would allow current and future generations of the world to witness and learn of the Checks and Balances and Separation of Powers that our Constitution allows and requires.

Right now as the U.S. is requesting Iraq to create a Constitution of their own your action and hopefully the continued process of this Inquiry can be a shining example of what a true Democracy can and should be.

This is the beginning of the end for this most corrupt administration in US history.

Watch for other Republicans to join, as they try to avoid the blame for supporting all of this administration’s criminal actions. The lies are starting to unravel; articles exposing the lies are even starting to appear in the mainstream media.

My hope is that the unraveling will gain enough momentum to expose the other scandals, such as the administration's possible involvement in allowing 911 to happen, the London bombings (“conveniently

The flame of peace has started and it is getting stronger. So they thought by Cindy leaving the end of this protest would come. All contrary it has gotten stronger and it is picking up fire. 2006 is not far away. Many of the protesters of the war are also voting citizens. Democrats and Republicans you need to stop being on the fence and jump off. We can now see the Republicans breaking ranks with Bush and calling his lie. GWB has to clome clean regarding the Downing Street Memos, and Karl Rove's disclosure. For those Republicans and Democrats that have had the guts to take the side of protesting the war, I am willing to bet you will be relected. We saw it during Water Gate, Republicans that sided against Nixon kept their jobs. Mr. Jim Leach is a very brave man, and he now has my support to get relected, I have many friends in Des Moines, the Quad City area, and Muscatine County. I am an active contributor to elections physically and financially.

Thank you Mr. Leach for having guts and sending a clear message to the rest of the Republicans and all the Democrats. Greetings from a former Iowan now in Colorado. God Bless you!

The flame of peace has started and it is getting stronger. So they thought by Cindy leaving the end of this protest would come. All contrary it has gotten stronger and it is picking up fire. 2006 is not far away. Many of the protesters of the war are also voting citizens. Democrats and Republicans you need to stop being on the fence and jump off. We can now see the Republicans breaking ranks with Bush and calling his lie. GWB has to clome clean regarding the Downing Street Memos, and Karl Rove's disclosure. For those Republicans and Democrats that have had the guts to take the side of protesting the war, I am willing to bet you will be relected. We saw it during Water Gate, Republicans that sided against Nixon kept their jobs. Mr. Jim Leach is a very brave man, and he now has my support to get relected, I have many friends in Des Moines, the Quad City area, and Muscatine County. I am an active contributor to elections physically and financially.

Thank you Mr. Leach for having guts and sending a clear message to the rest of the Republicans and all the Democrats. Greetings from a former Iowan now in Colorado. God Bless you!

The flame of peace has started and it is getting stronger. So they thought by Cindy leaving the end of this protest would come. All contrary it has gotten stronger and it is picking up fire. 2006 is not far away. Many of the protesters of the war are also voting citizens. Democrats and Republicans you need to stop being on the fence and jump off. We can now see the Republicans breaking ranks with Bush and calling his lie. GWB has to clome clean regarding the Downing Street Memos, and Karl Rove's disclosure. For those Republicans and Democrats that have had the guts to take the side of protesting the war, I am willing to bet you will be relected. We saw it during Water Gate, Republicans that sided against Nixon kept their jobs. Mr. Jim Leach is a very brave man, and he now has my support to get relected, I have many friends in Des Moines, the Quad City area, and Muscatine County. I am an active contributor to elections physically and financially.

Thank you Mr. Leach for having guts and sending a clear message to the rest of the Republicans and all the Democrats. Greetings from a former Iowan now in Colorado. God Bless you!

I have just called Congressman Leach's office to express my thanks---even though I am in Florida. I was very specific as to my call. I urge everyone to call those who are supporting this, as a way to encourage them to continue to stand for the truth and remind them that this is no longer a "district" or "state" issue; it has become the much larger "American" issue and the eyes of all Americans are watching the responses from all elected officials across the country to see who is worthy to continue in a leadership position once we finally move past this tragic time in our history.

Some of the congressmen won't accept emails from outside of their districts. To get by this, go to their site and look for a "contact" tab. Cut the line containing the district office mailing address, including zip and use this in the form.
Might seem under handed, but they're making laws that affect all of us, not just their constituents.

This is the first Republican to show his CONSCIENCE rather than his unquestioning support of his party! This is HUGE!!!

I just called my Representative (Earl Blumenauer (D) Oregon 3rd) who also sits on the committee this resolution will most likely be referred to and told him his time had run out. He could be on the fence and trying to avoid the issue, but when a REPUBLICAN signs on, it's time for him to declare.

I said that at this point, he was either a Democrat who was with us or a Democrat who was with "them" and if he didn't sign on within 24 hours, it would be time to start lining up "loyal opposition" to him as the Democratic candidate. He has never had any opposition in the primaries, and I would hate to have to make him spend his money, but if he won't do what's right, then he has to go, just like all the other Republicans-in-Democrats-clothing.

This is VERY BIG!!! It's time to call your Democratic AND Republican congresspeople and ask them where THEY stand and tell them they have only a few days of "summer vacation" from their repsonsilbity to protect this form of goverment.

BTW, I haven't had a chance to research Leach. Is he a raving right wing nutjob who is just looking out for himself and realizing that he doesn't want to go up against a "you are from the party that lied" Democrat in '06, or is he more of a moderate, "true conservative" Republican who actually sees how messed up the neo-con agenda is? Either way, he's my hero of the day.

Here's a list of legislation he has sponsored:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/R?d107:FLD003:@1(rep+leach):

He's put his name on African Famine resolutions, electoral reform (get rid of the Electoral College) legislation, and a number of other interesting ones.

Here's a list of legislation he has co-sponsored (signed on to):
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/R?d107:FLD004:@1(rep+leach)

He's singed on to other things that CAN'T have made him popular with his neo-con colleagues on the floor, including the ERA (yeah, I didn't realize they re-submitted those 24 words in 2001).

For goodness sakes, he sponsored legislation for a Martin Luther King, Jr. coin. In Iowa. IOWA!!!!

I think we might be looking at somebody who would like to be in the right place at the right time and as a "favorite son" get some publicity in the Iowa 08 caucuses that could get him on an independent/republican non-neo-con, non-Christian-Dominionist ticket.

Dear Congressman Leach:
Please accept our deepest gratitude and appreciation for co-sponsoring H. Res 375; Barbara Lee’ Resolution of Inquiry into Bush Administration communications with the U.K. about Iraq!
I hope many more of your Republican colleagues will follow your courageous, conscientious and forward thinking lead in this grave matter.
You are a true patriot!!!

Informed Activist

Speaking Events

Buy Books

Get Gear

The log-in box below is only for bloggers. Nobody else will be able to log in because we have not figured out how to stop voluminous spam ruining the site. If you would like us to have the resources to figure that out please donate. If you would like to receive occasional emails please sign up. If you would like to be a blogger here please send your resume.

User login

Username: *

Password: *

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.